Pegasus Theater kicks off its summer season with ‘Footloose’ Friday night.
The academic session may have concluded back in June, but the Henderson Theatre on the Lincroft campus of Christian Brothers Academy is a very busy place this summer, one that sees the return of some old friends, and an all-new partnership in education and entertainment.
Beginning this Friday, it’s “Let’s Daaaaance!,” as the screen-to-stage musical Footloose stomps the boards of the CBA auditorium — a party made possible by the team-up of CBA’s Pegasus Theater summer stage program, and a name familiar to many a local theatergoer.
That would be Premier Theatre Company, the community troupe best known for its long-running staging of Scrooge at Asbury Park’s Paramount Theater. The company founded by Mark Fleming produced many a show over the course of several summers in Lincroft — even homesteading at the Henderson for a couple of full seasons, while its Asbury home base got its act back together — and under new director John Sabatos the Premier brand recently announced the Pegasus partnership, designed to “reestablish the traditions of both groups…while teaching and inspiring the next generation of performers.”
“At Christian Brothers Academy, we strive to be a student run organization where students are responsible for everything from construction to design to PR and more,” said Pegasus program director Marcos Orozco in a press statement. “We can now provide our students an internship-like experience over the summer where they will learn the skills needed to fully take over during the school year and bring our program to the next level.”
The Pegasus players, who most recently staged their own production of Terrence McNally’s backstage comedy It’s Only a Play at the end of June, kick off their Sunday shoes with Footloose, the popular and oft-produced 1998 show inspired by the Kevin Bacon box office hit from 1984 (and not at all by its 2011 remake). The tale of a city kid who brings dance, romance and showstopping attitude to a stodgy and conservative community is scored with songs by Dean Pitchford and Tom Snow, as well as the Kenny Loggins title hit and other selected pop songs from the original movie soundtrack.
Performances of Footloose are July 14, 15 and 21 at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees on July 16 and 22. Take it here or call (732)774-STAR for tickets ($22) — then take it back to the Henderson on August 11-13, when Premier and Pegasus present the venerable sandal musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for a single-weekend stand. All who’d like to be involved with the summer program can find out more by emailing Pegasus or Premier.
